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Vain & Valour: Volume 2 - Veracity
He slammed his fist down. “We must apprehend every last one of these accursed Tatzelwurms!”
Enemies have multiplied. Dangers close in on all sides. Every hour matters in this desperate race against time. But is it already too late...?
When memories flood back, & the bitter truth of failure awaits, exoneration may only now be found in the shadows. As our hero’s honour hangs in the balance, he must navigate a treacherous landscape where truth is ever-elusive & danger ever-present. But will uncovering a sinister cabal prove to be his redemption or his ruin?
The story continues to unfold in this riveting sequel to “Vain & valour”. It’s now 1792, & the Swiss confederacy teeters on the brink of collapse. Beset from within by economic turmoil, grain shortages, civil strife, & inter-cantonal distrust, & threatened from beyond by a warring France & Austria casting long shadows across the borders, Switzerland’s fate has never been more precarious.
“Vain & Valour” continues to masterfully weave together contrasting themes & threads of history & imagination. Again, the author’s distinctive voice guides the readers through the halls of power & privilege, where ostentation & excess reign supreme, & to the humble inn, where comedy & camaraderie offer a respite. With each turn of the page, the line between ally & adversary is ever-shifting. & amidst the chaos, our hero is pulled inexorably toward his twin destinies — that of ruler & secret agent. But when vanity & valour is locked in an eternal dance, which path will he ultimately chose?
Prepare to be swept away once more by this enthralling tale of intrigue & deception, where the facades of the powerful crumble, & the courage of one man may shape the destiny of a nation.
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty — that is all...” — Keats
Enemies have multiplied. Dangers close in on all sides. Every hour matters in this desperate race against time. But is it already too late...?
When memories flood back, & the bitter truth of failure awaits, exoneration may only now be found in the shadows. As our hero’s honour hangs in the balance, he must navigate a treacherous landscape where truth is ever-elusive & danger ever-present. But will uncovering a sinister cabal prove to be his redemption or his ruin?
The story continues to unfold in this riveting sequel to “Vain & valour”. It’s now 1792, & the Swiss confederacy teeters on the brink of collapse. Beset from within by economic turmoil, grain shortages, civil strife, & inter-cantonal distrust, & threatened from beyond by a warring France & Austria casting long shadows across the borders, Switzerland’s fate has never been more precarious.
“Vain & Valour” continues to masterfully weave together contrasting themes & threads of history & imagination. Again, the author’s distinctive voice guides the readers through the halls of power & privilege, where ostentation & excess reign supreme, & to the humble inn, where comedy & camaraderie offer a respite. With each turn of the page, the line between ally & adversary is ever-shifting. & amidst the chaos, our hero is pulled inexorably toward his twin destinies — that of ruler & secret agent. But when vanity & valour is locked in an eternal dance, which path will he ultimately chose?
Prepare to be swept away once more by this enthralling tale of intrigue & deception, where the facades of the powerful crumble, & the courage of one man may shape the destiny of a nation.
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty — that is all...” — Keats
289 pages, Paperback
Published August 16, 2024
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About the author
Justan Autor
7 books2 followersA partisan to the picaresque and pastiche. Not for fans of simple sentences.
Justan Autor came late to the wicked joy of novels, having first tried his hand at most of the civilised arts: he painted pictures, trimmed hedgerows into obedience, stitched respectable garments, and wooed a pianoforte into confessing melodies. Only thereafter did he discover that narrative mischief suited him best.
A devotee of the 18th and 19th‑century masters, he writes in a classical key with a modern tempo—history that crackles, characters with inconvenient desires, and a burlesque glint when daggers flash. His first novel ushers readers into 1790s Switzerland: mountains, intrigue, and a hero who frequently collides with his own better judgement.
If you fancy Dumas for the dash, Fielding for the grin, Austen for the bite, and Dickens for the sweep—served with present‑day verve—do make his acquaintance.
Pray, if any of this author's works have earned your good opinion, a kind word on GoodReads (even Amazon) would be a most welcome reward. Should this author's works have failed to please, pray, let your judgement be rendered with mercy!
Justan Autor came late to the wicked joy of novels, having first tried his hand at most of the civilised arts: he painted pictures, trimmed hedgerows into obedience, stitched respectable garments, and wooed a pianoforte into confessing melodies. Only thereafter did he discover that narrative mischief suited him best.
A devotee of the 18th and 19th‑century masters, he writes in a classical key with a modern tempo—history that crackles, characters with inconvenient desires, and a burlesque glint when daggers flash. His first novel ushers readers into 1790s Switzerland: mountains, intrigue, and a hero who frequently collides with his own better judgement.
If you fancy Dumas for the dash, Fielding for the grin, Austen for the bite, and Dickens for the sweep—served with present‑day verve—do make his acquaintance.
Pray, if any of this author's works have earned your good opinion, a kind word on GoodReads (even Amazon) would be a most welcome reward. Should this author's works have failed to please, pray, let your judgement be rendered with mercy!
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 9, 2024
The second part of the series is even more exciting. While the first book’s main focus was to discover the identity of the hero, in this second instalment it’s the hero’s backstory and the intricate web of conspiracy, secrecy and mystery that he finds himself entangled in which comes to the front. Dramatic and emotional scenes take centre stage. The stakes are now higher, not only affecting the personal life of the protagonist and those closest to him, but also the whole of Switzerland. New sidekicks and antagonists appear, each one brilliantly and memorably portrayed. The author does an excellent job weaving the bigger plot into the story. The language is superb, the imagery and action spectacular as the reader becomes more and more immersed into the hero’s valiant but riddled with unsurmountable obstacles struggle to expose the villains and protect the people and the country he loves.
October 25, 2025
Authentic historical fiction with lots of twists
After having read the first volume, I just had to take off on a journey with the sequel. I was not disappointed. The language is just superb — sometimes playful, other times deep and sweeping, but always brilliant. The plot gets thicker and the twists and turns will not let the reader relax even for a page or two. A parade of new, well crafted characters will entertain you while you cringe for the hero’s welfare as he meets the villains and struggles to clear his family’s name. The author’s witty and cheeky remarks made me smile and sometimes even laugh out aloud.
Told in a remarkable and inimitable author voice, this is a highly entertaining novel about French Revolution era Switzerland that will make you itch to learn what happens in the following installment of the series.
After having read the first volume, I just had to take off on a journey with the sequel. I was not disappointed. The language is just superb — sometimes playful, other times deep and sweeping, but always brilliant. The plot gets thicker and the twists and turns will not let the reader relax even for a page or two. A parade of new, well crafted characters will entertain you while you cringe for the hero’s welfare as he meets the villains and struggles to clear his family’s name. The author’s witty and cheeky remarks made me smile and sometimes even laugh out aloud.
Told in a remarkable and inimitable author voice, this is a highly entertaining novel about French Revolution era Switzerland that will make you itch to learn what happens in the following installment of the series.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews